Going to be induced on thursday really scared :(

[scaredbuthappy]

Midwife tried to do a sweep yesterday but she couldnt even do it as my cervix was too high. Have another sweep tommorow to try and attempt her to come out which i doubt she will
Have been booked in to be induced on thursday and im really scared. I wasnt too scared or worried about labour until now. I was supposed to go to my local MLU/birthing centre which i was really looking forward to but now to be induced i have to go to hospital instead. The sweep yesterday i found really hurt. Im dreading being induced, ive heard contractions are worse and im scared what it feels like and what happens.
Has anyone else had to be induced and can they give me their honest opinion on what it was like, how long it took to happen etc and if it made labour really horrendous. Thanks

 

[Becky]

I'm not sure I'm the best one to advise you as my induction resulted in an emergency section. This wasn't related to the induction though, it was a combination of other reasons.

So I'll be honest, I went in to be induced on the Wed afternoon, had a pessary inserted by a midwife, told to rest and see what happened. I was checked on regularly but wasn't feeling anything. Stayed in over-night and after an examination mid morning they gave me another pessary. Played the waiting game again but nothing much happening. Had another pessary mid afternoon and by 7pm nothing happening so at 7:30pm they sent me home to have a bath, relax and come back the next day.

Went home, had a bath and within an hour my waters went. So back to hospital we went!

They put me on a drip because my contractions were not strong enough by themselves and they had issues getting the dose right. The pain was bad, but not so bad that I couldn't deal with it so long as I could move about - which I could do a little of even though I was hooked to a monitor for baby on my tummy and the drip.

Eventually after a series of issues with baby I had my section but I have to say that the induction was not that bad and the key was being able to stand/lean by the bed. I didn't have to move far but as long as I could stand I could cope.

Try not to worry, because no matter what, once you're in labour you seem to be able to handle it and the thought that your baby will be here soon helps you.

++edit++ sorry its so long, I seem to be writing essays tonight!

 

[Xena]

Both my pregnancies were induced, so I can't compare it to a normal birth. Put it this way, if I can get through it, anybody can lol

First time round it took a long time. They started the induction process on Wednesday afternoon and my baby was born on Sunday morning. The cervical gel was making me contract, but not dilate, so then the contractions died away. They had to insert 4 lots of the gel up me before I dilated a tiny bit - enough to have my waters broken.

Second time round was much faster - Had 1 lot of gel on the Monday morning, and my baby was born Tuesday evening.

If I had another baby it wouldn't particularly bother me if I was induced again. To be honest, in a way it's kind of useful, because you are all prepared for it. You know when you're going to be going, so your bag is all ready and your family are all prepared. If you go into labour spontaneously you could be taken unawares and give birth in a shop or something lol

 

[Redshoes]

Firstly, you could go into labour naturally before then, so keep positive, because no matter what happens things will be underway on Thursday and so you're very close to seeing your baby I personally found the drip induction I had brought about long and frequent contractions, very different from the ones I had leading up to the induction, where they built up from 1cm-7cm dilated, and were perfectly manageable, whereas the induced ones felt much more powerful, which lead me to choose to have an epidural.

You can also be induced by gel, pessary, membrane rupture and sweep, so look into the different methods and see how they might affect you No two labours are the same and many women have very manageable inductions, don't assume yours won't be, and in the meantime just get some rest, relax, and think positive, stress will only tighten you up, you want to be loose now, ready for baby's entrance to the world Very best wishes, you will be in good hands, try not to think about the induction until thursday, anything could happen before then

 

[kalia]

If the induction is awful, have an epidural. Be confident and happy to ask for more painkillers. I don't know what your current attitude to epidurals is but it worries me when people feel they have to do labour with the least possible painkillers and so make themselves feel second rate for having an epidural. If you go in to be induced in the confident knowledge that if you can't deal with the pain you can get painkillers you will be less tense and so better able to cope, even if you decide at the time that you don't need much

 

[daftscotslass]

My birth story and (not so positive) experience of induction is here - http://www.pregnancyforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=72993

I couldn't agree more with kalia - if you think you need an epidural, ask for it. I kept getting fobbed off and think part of the reason they ended up having to give up on it was because it was left so late. Definitely keep an open mind about pain relief and write this in your birth plan if you have one.

Like mentioned above, everyone is different. One of my best friends was induced, had an epidural and it all worked swimmingly! You'll be fine

 

[purple13]

hey hon

i'd wanted the whole midwife centre birth thing, and as little pain relief as possible. but i was also induced in hospital and my birth plan went straight out of the window.

my induction took 3 days - 1st pessary on monday night, 2nd pessary on tuesday morning and 3rd pessary on wednesday morning. contractions finally started on wednesday morning, and my waters were broken on wednesday lunchtime - i was put straight on to the syntocinon drip.

i don't have a natural birth to compare it to, but having spoken to others i think that my contractions were more regular and intense straight away than a natural birth would have been. as midna says, its probably like the end bit, but without the build up. as the syntocinon dose is increased (every 1/2 hour), the contractions build up some more. but my problem was that after 6 hours of contractions, i'd only dilated 1cm.

at this point, i begged for pethadine - i'd sworn i didn't want it, and tbh i wish i hadn't as it made me v spaced out but didn't reduce the pain one bit. i think some people get on with it better than others but it just made me vomit and feel out of control. finally, after 8 hours, i asked for an epidural (again, i'd said that i def didn't want one) and i seriously wished i'd asked for it sooner.

after my epidural, the rest of my labour was pretty much a breeze. i still had some feeling in my legs, but the pain was gone. pushing only took 20 mins (think i got lucky there ) and i had connor at 3.54am on thursday. i was home by thursday evening.

you don't get any prizes for being brave, so whatever your opinions are on pain relief now, try and keep open minded.

if i was told that i had to be induced for my next child, i wouldn't be worried. you'll be fine hon - and the end product is more than worth it

 

[1sttimemum]

i was induced, yes contractions were painful from the start but you dont have abythin to compare it to....... my labour was only 5hr 16 min

 

[scaredbuthappy]

Thanks for all the replies. I had a show yesterday and a bit this morning. Still supposed to be going in for induction tommorow.
I have thought about what pain relief i wanted and on my birth plan i put gas and air, tens machine, and birthing pool. I said i didnt want pethadine and def not epidural. (i did put that obv if things changed at the time or they were needed then i would have them)
I dont want pethadine or epidural not because i want to be brave or a hero and have as little pain relief as possible but because pethadine ive heard it makes you sick and hasnt done alot for most people but make them feel crappy, and the epidural it sounds so involved and complicated that im scared of it and scared of it being done wrong or it going wrong.

Ive hear nasty things about induction and that its really unpleasant. I hope my show means things will start soon altho time is ticking away

 

[flowergirl]

If you have had a show then that is *brilliant* news for you being induced (in my opinion!) as it shows that your body is gearing up for labour and that your cervix should be favourable for induction.

I was induced and had a really positive experience- I had 1 lot of the Prostin pessary at 8am and was in labour by 5pm, I had my baby by midnoght the same day! A girl I know was induced at 40 +9 and it took just 1 hour for the pessary to kick start her labour and only another 3 before baby was born! It was very quick but she managed!

I had what i consider a 'natural' labour and delivery as the pessary just kick started me- I was induced at 40+2 and was fairly favourable for induction- I think I was 1cm dilated and my cervix was anterior. I hear that induction is much slower and harder if your cervix is not ready.

My advice to you is to relax first and foremost- you have no idea how you will cope in labour so be open minded and expect to ask for pain relief- if you find you don't need it- be pleasantly surprised! It is important that you enjoy your labour and delivery. Stay active once you have been induced as this will help nature take its course and as you have contractions don't tense up if you can help it- breathe slowly and go with the pain- it's doing a job- if you tense up you prolong the process and ultimately give yourself more pain!

Good luck hun- I hope it goes well- it is perfectly normal to be aprehensive- have a cry- tell the midwives your concerns and they'll be great I'm sure.